Collapsible chair for equipment chests



Sept. 14, 1954 CULP COLLAPSIBLE CHAIR FOR EQUIPMENT CHESTS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 8, 1955 INVENTOR.

HARRY R. CULP BY V mum M0 ATTORNEY Sept. 14, 1954 l H. R. CULP 2,539,160

COLLAPSIBLE CHAIR FOR EQUIPMENT CHESTS Filed July 8, 1953 2 Sheets-Shem 2 INVENTOR.

HARRY R. CULP ama Q' QMM ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 14, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COLLAPSIBLE CHAIR FOR EQUIPMENT CHESTS 3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a chair adapted for stowage in an equipment chest when not in use and capable of assembly for support by the chest and cover thereof to provide a portable seat for sports, fishing, and the like. The chest may be any suitable box-like case as, for example, a fishing tackle box, tool chest, or similar equipment stowage receptacle having a hinged cover and bracket or stay means for maintaining the cover in stable position when open.

An object of the invention is to provide a collapsible chair for an equipment chest, which will be simple and efficient in construction and assembly, readily erected and disassembled, and capable of economical manufacture.

A further object is to provide a practical portable chest and chair assembly in which the seat structure is readily adapted to the chest and its cover for convenient stowage therein and stable support thereby.

These and other advantages of the invention will be discernible as the detailed description thereof, taken with the accompanying drawings, proceeds.

The invention may be embodied in chest and chair structure shown, by example, in the accompanying drawings wherein the views are as follows, like reference numerals designating identical or analogous parts throughout the several views:

Fig. l, a sectional elevation on line l--| of Fig. 7, of one form of the invention;

Fig. 2, a detail of a leg supporting bracket viewed from line 2-2, Fig. 1;

Fig. 3, a fractional sectional elevation of a modified form of the leg supporting brackets and Fig. 4, a detail thereof viewed from line i-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5, a sectional elevational detail of another form of the back and seat supporting structure; and

Fig. 6, a section on line fi--t therethrough;

Fig. 7, a perspective view of the invention ready for use.

According to the invention, a pair of detachable upwardly directed front legs are positioned against the forward portion of an equipment chest, the legs being connected by a horizontal shaft extending across the top ends thereof.

The front leg assembly forms a frontal frame for the support of a flexible fabric seat, the rear edge of which is suspended from the front flange of the chest cover through intervening fastening means which may include a pivotable back frame. The back frame, having suitable fabric backsupporting means, is oscillable between an operative upright position when the chair is assembled and an inoperative retracted position against the inner face of the cover whereby to retainthe folded seat member thereagainst for stowage in the cover.

As illustrated in the drawings, the collapsible chair is carried in and supported by a chest having a front and rear wall I and 2, end walls 3, and a bottom 4. The chest is fitted with a cover 5 pivoted thereto by the usual hinges shown generally at 6 and secured when in opened position by the conventional stays or foldable bracket members 1. A peripheral inner closure flange 8 may be arranged around the top edges of the chest in a manner well known in the art.

Fastened in any convenient manner against the inner face of the front wall i, is a pair of laterally-spaced fixed brackets 8, each of which carries an oscillatory bracket i0 pivoted thereto as at l I. These oscillatory brackets support a pair of upwardly and forwardly inclined front legs 82 the bottom ends of which are received in a pair of sockets l3, welded or otherwise secured to the oscillatory brackets l3. Across the top ends thereof, the leg members are connected by a front shaft [4 formed preferably integrally with the legs.

Disposed inside the front marginal region of the cover, is a rear shaft l5 journaled in bearing brackets I6 which may be suspended from adjaoent cover structure as, for example, the inner face of the front flange ll. The shaft i5 is bent at the ends thereof to extend forwardly and upwardly, exteriorly of the cover, to define a pair of posts [8 connected across the top ends thereof by a shaft IS.

The posts it and shaft is thus constitute a frame on which is arranged a flexible fabric seat back 29 terminating along the top edge thereof in a hem or sleeve 2! receiving the shaft i9. Along its side edges, the seat back terminates in a pair of sleeves or like tubular members 22 to receive the posts [8.

Spanning the front and rear shafts i and E5, is a flexible fabric seat member 23 having a sleeve 24 along its front edge to receive the shaft i i. A similar sleeve 25 borders the rear edge of the seat member to receive the rear shaft it.

It will be seen that the assembly hereinabove described provides a collapsible frame comprising the front legs [2, shaft M, the seat back posts it, and shafts i5 and 19. To dismantle the chair, the legs l2 are detached from their supports [3, and the seat 23 folded compact manner for stowage within the cover 5; the seat back is pivoted to its broken line position shown in Fig. 1 whereby to overlie the folded seat and a spring clip 26 may be attached in the rear marginal region of the cover to engage the seat back against dislodgment.

Figs. 3 to 6 depict modifications which are among those which may be made in the invention to carry out the purpose thereof. For example, the front leg supporting means may take the form of a pin 26 carried by the oscillatory bracket 10 and adapted to receive the tubular ends of the legs l2, the brackets l-ll' being pivoted by pins I I to a fixed type of bracket 19. The seat back construction shown in Figs. 5 and 6, includes a pair of posts I8 pivoted to the inner faces of the side flanges of the cover. The bottom ends of these posts may be flattened as at 21 to receive ivot pins 28, the posts being bent to extend as hereinbefore described for the posts I8. In this construction, the seat back 20' may be formed integrally with the seat 23, suspending the same from the seat back frame, and supporting the front edge of the seat as hereinbefore set forth. To retract the chair assembly, the posts it are pivoted inside the cover, as will be understood.

The oscillatory brackets carrying the front legs are pivotable to their retracted positions as shown in broken lines, Fig. l, permitting the cover with the collapsed seat structure secured thereagainst to close against the chest.

The invention will thus be seen to provide a 40 unique chest and collapsiblechair assembly, useful in many outdoor activities to permit the user to rest'while engaged in work or recreation.

Having thus described the invention and the securing said seat therein.

2. A collapsible chair for an equipment chest having a hinged cover secured thereto in open upwardly-extending position, comprising in combination therewith a back member pivotally connected at the bottom thereof to said cover for support thereby, a pair of front leg brackets arranged upon the forward wall region of said chest and a pair of legs detachably supported by the brackets, a flexible seat member, a frontshaft connecting said legs across the top thereof supporting said seat member frontally thereof and means carried by the cover to support said seat member rearwardly thereof, the seat member being collapsible upon detaching said legs for stowage against the inner face of said cover, said back member having pivotal movement toward said inner face to overlie the collapsed seat member to ,permit closing of said cover.

3. The invention as defined in claim 2 and: said leg brackets being oscillable between an operative position to accommodate said legs and a retracted position interiorly of said chest for stowage therein.

UNITED STATES PATENTS References Cited in the file of this patent Number Name Date 368,008 Robertson Aug. 9, 1887 1,038,880 Hansen Sept. 17, 1912 1,920,171 Gerstner Aug. 1, 1933 2,357,214 McDole Aug. 29, 1944 

